At the base of the towering, majestic Mauna Kea, Tapu Lele examined a pile of rocks.
She scanned the largest boulders by picking them up and setting them down one by one, looking for the distinctive magnetic iron filings found on alolan gravelers. She and Gon had been through at least five of these piles, but she couldn't find an electric rock monster hiding in any of them. Gon waited on the rocks she had already set on the ground as Lele scanned the floating ones for a hibernating mind. Gon had taken a break from rock lifting to update his aunt and grandmother on his location. He had almost left without a word,which meant a lot of apologies. To make it worse, they often wanted to ask Gon what he was doing and he would just...drop whatever he was holding to sit down and talk with them. Lele thought that it was getting annoying really quickly, but Gon was delighted to tell his family about all of the things he and Lele were doing and all of the stuff they had seen so far.
Gon said goodbye to his family for the fourth time that day. But it was more of a ‘talk to you soon’, just like the other times. Which was probably appropriate.
Lele set down another rock next to the one Gon was sitting on. They both let silence hang in the air for a few moments. A sea breeze blew past, and Gon heard a gull call that Lele either ignored or couldn’t sense.
“Why do we need a graveller, anyway?” Gon wondered aloud as he began to sharpen his nails with a smaller rock that he scooped up from the rubble pile. “He didn’t seem like a hunter from his voice, he didn't even seem like much of a fighter.”
But we need allies. Lele set down two rudely awakened roggenrola siblings, and awkwardly waved at them as they stomped off. Besides, rock-type pokemon are generally pretty reliable, even if some of them don't like to fight. What we need from this graveler is longevity and a sturdy handhold.
“You say a lot of confusing things, like, all the time.” Gon mumbled, now sharpening his toenails.
Lele either ignored or didn’t hear this remark. She had set down nearly all of the boulders back onto their pile, and was floating the last one a few inches off the ground. At first glance, it was completely unremarkable. But if one stayed quiet for a moment and listened, one would hear snoring so soft that no one could have guessed who could have been making it. Gon pricked up his ears and sniffed at the boulder in suspect, temporarily abandoning his half sharpened nails to confirm Lele’s discovery.
Now that Gon looked at it, it looked like an amateurishly carved tiki. It had a lopsided face and four arms in all, in different sizes and tucked around itself. Its legs were basically three-toed foot like stumps, its mouth and eyes three closed slits and its face bordered by a crude crest of rock spikes.
“Oh, just a regular graveler.” Gon giggled and knocked on its face, making the graveler snort and bat away his paw. “I thought it was going to be an alolan one.”
I thought so too. Lele said. She set off the weakest psychic flare she could, hopefully enough to jolt this deep sleeper out of dreamland.
It was, and it woke the graveler. The only problem was that it was not happy with them.
“OW, WHAT.” he woke up and started swinging at them in delirium. “Ugh, put me down, you pigheaded psych-head….”
Pighead Psych-head... Lele saw Gon flinch. What an interesting choice of words.
“The only ones that properly describe ‘mons like you.” the graveler snapped once Lele set him safely onto the ground. “Muckin around with mind powers and cowardly tactics. If there wasn't a kid here I’d tell you what for!”
“Sir,” Gon piped up. “please don't talk like that to Tapu Lele.”
“Oh, now, you listen here kid.” the graveler spun around and ranted as though Lele didn't exist. “these self-righteous ‘mons are the absolute worst. They pretend like they got the secrets of the universe in their heads, when all they’ll give you is fortune cookie advice and cheap parlor tricks.”
Someone had a bad breakup. Lele chuckled as Gon began to argue for his Tapu.
“That’s really mean! I get that some psychic types can be full of themselves, but Lele isn't cheap or full of hot air. She's a Tapu of Alola!”
“Alola?” The graveler crossed one pair of arms and put the others on his hips. “You mean that tourist trap region?”
Gon bristled. “It’s not a tourist trap! I used to live there!”
“Well, now here you are in Johto.” the graveler raised an arm in a sweeping gesture at the mountain and horizon. “Welcome to a REAL pokemon region.”
“We--Johto?!” Gon looked like he wanted to fight, fluffing up his fur and taking a wide stance to appear bigger. “We’re nowhere NEAR Johto!”
Don’t get so worked up, Gon. Lele giggled behind her hand. He just hasn't heard of me.
“But you're a legendary.” Gon whined to Lele. “He wouldn't be like this if he was in front of Suicune or something.”
Not this guy. Lele shrugged, now ignoring the irked graveller. We can’t just sling names around. We gotta back ourselves up with evidence. Pretend you’re him. Do you have any way to prove that you aren't allied with some two-bit psychic?
Gon paused. “Hm…”
“Look, if you guys are gonna be like that, I'm just gonna go back to sleep--”
“Z-crystals!” Gon exclaimed, jumping down from his perch and snatching his from where he had dropped it in the grass and held it out to the graveler. “See, Lele made these! We talked to you with telepathy with these before--”
The graveler snatched it from Gon’s paw. “That’s mine! What, do you go around pilfering treasure, you buncha crooks?!”
Gon actually threw a punch that stopped just before connecting to the graveler’s surprised face. Lele’s pink psychic aura formed a film over Gon’s fist, pulling him out of striking distance before he could try anything else.
Lele pulled him into the air with his fist, shaking her head. That’s the one I made for Gon. She said to the graveler in a disappointed tone. Yours is in your shorter left hand and has three parallel scratches on the left side.
“What’re you yammering about now?”He opened the hand in question. “I'm not holding--oh.”
Lele rolled her eyes as Gon glared at the graveler as he compared the two crystals.
“Oh, yeah, I remember. Mine had some scratches, and it wasn’t this bright and new lookin.” he sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “I’m sorry for sayin that about you, kiddo.”
Lele let Gon drop to the grass, where he crossed his legs and arms, pouting angrily. Gon’s eyes prickled with irrational tears, and Lele watched the turbulent thoughts whirl through his mind, mixing and churning as though in a blender.
“Yours is the newer one, right kid?” The graveler held out the brighter crystal to Gon. “I’m sorry for saying that to you. By the way, where’d you dig yours up--?”
Gon snatched it from his hand, scratching the graveler’s palm with his claws and darting away to hide behind another rock pile.
I think he deserves a bit more for an apology. Lele drifted next to the graveler as he sat down. You insulted his homeland, and smack-talked a legendary that he holds in high regard.
“What, you?” the graveler sneered, then stopped. “No, it’s enough I insulted him. I probably shouldn’t keep roasting his...what’re you, his mom? Aunt?”
Tapu. Like, a famous political figure. But, like, with emotions and freinds.
The graveler snorted. “Okay then, ‘Tapu’. Sorry about all of that.”
I’m not the one who was offended. Lele shrugged towards the rocks Gon peeked out from behind when he thought they weren’t looking. And you can apologize after I explain why he takes it so seriously.
“...I’ll bite. What’s with that kid?”
Lele gazed at the rock Gon was hiding behind, and thought of how best to word her response, for both of them. The short answer? A lot of his and others expectations, and piles of little failures that he keeps looking at and wishing he could redo. If you want the long version…
“Not really. I’m no good with listening to long stories.” the graveler plucked a blade of grass and tried to whistle with it. “Besides, that sounds like what a regular kid goes through at this age.”
Lele thought about that as the graveler blew air through his grainy, rugged hands. Maybe that’s for the best. He’s not a very regular pokemon.
“Ah, looks like we got ourselves a special snowflake here.” the graveller chuckled halfheartedly, accidentally blowing the blade of grass away and plucking another strand.
Don’t let him hear you saying that. Lele joked. He’s got a lot riding on his shoulders.
The graveler held the blade between the hands of his shorter arms this time. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
Well, I’ve been enlisting hunters to help me find Arceus...or Hoopa...and I need the help of more than just one riolu, no matter how special. So, I’ve been looking for other pokemon to help bolster my allies.
“How many you got so far?” he finally tossed the grass away without picking anymore.
It’s just me and him against the world, I’m afraid. Maybe his grandma and aunt.
“Pfhah! Oh man, you guys really are pathetic.”
Lele shrugged again.
“Well,” the graveler asked, with more interest. “how’re you planning on finding this Arceus fellow?”
Another long story, I’m afraid. A complicated plan that searches continents over the course of months.
“Yikes. Is that what you came here for? To ask me to join you guys?”
In all fairness, you don’t even have to join me. Just accompany us on recruiting missions to make our cause seem a bit more...fashionable? Is that the word I’m looking for…?
“Probably not.”
Probably not what? The word choice or the offer to join…?
“I probably wouldn’t go with you guys just for looks.” He flashed a toothy grin at Tapu Lele. “Nah, if you guys want me on your side, we gotta be a team. Like, one of them fancy rescue teams, with badges and all that. Ya dig?”
Actually, I think you dig.
“Ah, I see ya.” The graveller guffawed.
Haha…
Why does he need to be on a ‘team’ with us?
Lele blinked and saw Gon peeking over another boulder.
He’s basically a stranger. Gon’s irked tone carried over in his thoughts. What reason does he have to trust two faker mons?
Who knows? Lele waved her hands around mysteriously. Do you want to answer that for yourself, Mr. Graveller?
“Huh. Was that really the first stage? So he was actually another psych-head…”
No, no, no, no. It’s the crystals. The crystals are, uh...psych...helmets! You hold one, and you can talk like a psych-head. Now on sale for nineteen bits!
Gon listened to Tapu Lele and the graveller crack jokes to each other, buiring his muzzle into his crossed arms and pulling his knees to his chest. He hadn’t meant for the graveller to hear that, but Tapu Lele was being really annoying, too. Taking in this homeless weirdo that had just happened to find a crystal while digging for worms or something. He glared at the crystal in his paw and dropped it to the ground to keep his thoughts to himself.
The thing was, Gon liked making friends. But he didn’t like this graveler’s typist attitude*. And what he hated even more was Lele’s attitude! She was laughing with this guy, cracking jokes and being all buddy-buddy. They had said something about apologizing earlier, but that was swept away by their conversation and antics. Gon wouldn’t feel sorry for someone if he had insulted them and their buddy started a friendly conversation with him like he hadn’t done anything. No, he’d just take their friend's behavior as a sign that the other guy didn’t need an apology. Yeah, this graveler would act just like that in this situation. Just pretend it was all water under the bridge, like the rock-head he was.
Gon? Lele’s telepathy quietly bled through his turbulent thoughts.
What. The thought was so angry, he might have yelled it out loud.
Stay hidden behind those rocks for now. Lele sounded anxious. We could use the element of surprise.
Gon looked up and sniffed the air, on the brink of fighting mode. An unfamiliar scent, but it was being blown away by the wind. He snatched up his Z-crystal and pressed himself into the shadow of a sturdy boulder, listening for the source. It didn’t take long for the sound to reach his ears: wingbeats, loud and powerful.
But not just any wingbeats. A flying pokemon was approaching.
Gon couldn’t be blamed for mistaking Barodius’s arrival, Lele convinced herself. The thoughts of a dangerous pokemon swirling in his mind was a bit unnerving to her. But he seemed to have mistaken the sound of wings to those of hooves striking the earth somehow. Lele and the graveller watched as the Chief of Police slowed his gallop to a canter.
“Tapu Lele!” Barodius called as he approached, the canter slowing to a walk. “A word, if you please?”
Lele promptly floated to the air. The graveller shifted, unsure of what Barodius was. Lele gave him another weak flare to explain, but he reacted with an overblown “YEOWCH!” and rather dramatically fell over.
Chief Strident. Tapu Lele nodded once as he stopped in front of her. You’ve come a long way.
“Indeed I have,” the Chief sniffed. “and that’s not even the half of it. You simply up and left without a word, the only reason I knew you had gone anywhere was because of police ponies that had seen you leave, and I only found you here because of tourists that you had asked for directions!”
Lele prided herself on being able to deal with bureaucracy and the unfortunate creatures wrapped within its clutches, and she hoped that her talents would not fail her now. I'm terribly sorry that you had to go to such lengths. I did not expect to be out long and decided not to bother you.
“I see. Well, the next time you decide to leave police property, please inform me or management. I promise that we will not be overly bothered with an update of your location.”
I will certainly do that in the future, and again I apologize. Lele pondered her options. If you’ll forgive me, might I have permission to complete my errand?
“What,” Barodius’s tone took a deadly turn for a moment, but he corrected himself. “What sort of errand?”
Best to make the sell short and sweet. I am locating allies. I have so far found one of three. The other two are near Mauna Loa and an office high-rise in the next own over, respectively.
“I see. Will they take you a full hour to locate as well?”
Lele stiffened. She hadn’t been out for that long, had she? Of...course not. Now that I have one on my allies I’m sure the search will be much faster.
“Splendid. So, while your friend attends to that, you will come back to the police station with me.”
I… Lele scanned his mind, finding bureaucratic mazes and mountains of paperwork that she might have caused if she had stayed out longer and been reported missing. Better to act like she didn't understand. I do not see why you went through all of this trouble personally. Couldn’t you delegate somepony else to take care of all of the work you must complete if I am only going to complicate things?
Barodius ground his teeth, Lele nearly backing away in surprise. “I came here myself.” he said calmly. “By myself because no one else can deal with you, Tapu Lele, because I am the one responsible for you personally! Now, if you pokemon are to have a chance at peace on this island, you must stay with me and figure out how to deal with your ‘friend’ on that office building and all of his little ‘friends’ rampaging around and injuring my ponies and racking up a pile of complaints that I will be hearing about for months, if not years!”
Lele couldn't quite figure out if that helped him blow off steam or if putting all of his troubles out onto the table had made the problems more intense in his mind. This might take more work, best to go along.
I apologise, sir, and understand completely. I will accompany you once I have relayed more specific instructions to my hunting party. Mr. Grave;ler. Lele turned to him once more. I’m afraid I’ll be sending you one more, but if it can be helped it will more than likely be the last.
“Ugh, let's get this over with,” the graveler grunted as he tossed away the blade of grass he had somehow ripped exactly in two with his breath. “Lay it on me, sistah.”
His cry of pain was much more subdued this time. The graveler knew enough that this was no time for theatrics, but Lele hadn’t sent him a very weak flare.
There was a lot to explain.
That should do it. Lele said as he clutched his head and groaned. If you need to contact me, simply use the Z-crystal. Now I must be off.
“Keep in touch,” he grumbled.
It took a couple minutes for Lele and Barodius to have travelled out of earshot on their way to the police station, entrenched in conversation as they were. Finally, the graveler ripped his eyes away from their retreating backs and looked over at Mauna Loa.
It was the shorter mountain, and it was on the way to the town the salamence was in. He needed to get the turtonator on his side, because there was no way in distortion that he was about to face a dragon type all on his lonesome.
“We’re going to find Gerson on the active volcano next.” the graveller nearly jumped out of his skin when Gon’s voice piped up behind him. He had completely forgotten about how he had hidden and avoided being taken back himself. He studied Gon’s face. It was strangely blank of all expression, even boredom. Gon met his eyes, then looked away towards Mauna Loa.
“Y-yeah.” the graveller remembered all of the things in the flare Lele had sent him and wondered how much Gon already knew “Uh, hey listen--”
“Then let's go!” Gon bolted away so fast the graveler thought he had used Quick Attack. The graveler called out in vain as Gon got farther and farther from him. Finally, he gave up, curled into a ball, and Rolled Out after him.